NCAA Football Program, Florida Tech, Dismantled Due to Budget Cuts

The financial impact of the Coronavirus shutdowns by Governors is just now beginning. Unfortunately, we’ll probably see more college sports fall because no funding will be provided to them.

The first known college football program to announce disbanding is Florida Tech.

Florida Institute of Technology President Dwayne McCay today announced a series of steps necessary to respond to the unprecedented economic uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff reductions and furloughs, the closure of the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts and the elimination of the football program are meant to reduce costs and ensure the university can achieve its core mission of STEM higher education.

“As I have continued to share with you, these are difficult times for our university,” McCay told the university community in a letter today. “Indeed, all of higher education is struggling to deal with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the uncertainty that accompanies a global disruption to daily life. Some universities will no doubt close. Florida Tech, however, has plans to persevere.”

The Florida Tech football program, which was founded in 2011 and competes in the Gulf South Conference, will be eliminated effective immediately. The team fields 120 players, and students on scholarship will have their scholarship awards honored for up to four years. Additional answers to questions related to this decision may be found here.